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About Me

My name is Amber and I'm an aspiring YA author with a passion for movies and novels. If it's young adult AND paranormal and/or romantic (best if all three!) I'm there. Also, it seems fair to warn everyone that I am not a robot or a zombie and when it comes to the all important question: zombie or unicorns, I must side with the unicorns because they were my first love.
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Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Top Ten Books I've Read During My Blog's Lifespan

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish. Every week, they post a subject and the goal is to answer the question with your top ten picks. Once you've done it, link back to The Broke and the Bookish and check out what other bloggers have to say!

This is a really tough because I've been blogging for two years not and have come across a lot of really fabulous reads. I just took a count of my reviews yesterday and I have something like 150+ so that's a lot of things to love. Take a look at my top ten in no order:

1) Divergent by Veronica Roth (my review)- This novel just blew me away with its creativity. I say in my review that it's the type of novel where you look up and pity everyone else who isn't reading it too. It's so creative with dynamic and realistic characters and such incredible world building. It snatched my breath away and because of that and so many more things, it's definitely earned the top place on my list.

2) The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin (my review)- As I mentioned in my review, this book will make the reader read through the entire thing in one sitting and then make them want to read it again. The suspense was perfect, Noah Shaw is one of the best YA guys I've ever spotted and reading Mara's point of view is like watching a better scripted version of my own thinking. I couldn't get enough of this one!

3) Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi (my review)- I knew the second I saw things crossed out that this novel was going to draw me in. I loved how Juliette's brain was so broken that she tried to correct the very way she thought. As I mentioned in my review, Mafi's writing really inspired me and made me want to become a better writer. It's few books that can do that as well as this one.

4) Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi (my review)- This is another novel that wowed me with its vivid world. I also thought the author did an awesome job showing both character's growth in their alternating chapters. In my review I talk about how well this novel blends elements of sci-fi, fantasy and romance expertly.

5) Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson (my review)- Very few books affect me the way Tiger Lily did. I still feel really upset just thinking about it and I finished the book several months ago. I worried for a novel that was retelling one of my favorite and most complex fairy tales but Anderson more than exceeded my expectations. She was able to capture the same characters I loved and make them something completely her own.

6) Anna Dressed In Blood by Kendare Blake (my review)- If a novel can combine two of my loves--the television show Supernatural with reading--and make it seem original and new then I am there. Anna totally took all the things I love about the characters Sam and Dean in Supernatural and smashed them together to make the main character Cas. Plus, this has a killer plot and Cas's voice is hilarious!

7) The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting (my review)- This book surprised me with how much I ended up loving it. I was not expecting how rockin' Violet would be and how she and her best friend would form into one of the cutest couples in YA I've yet to meet. Plus, I love the mystery and suspense and that we get chapters in the killer's point of view.

8) Incarnate by Jodi Meadows (my review)- I had high expectations for this novel because I really liked the cover and the summary. It surpassed every single one of those. I like how for a fantasy the plot and atmosphere didn't seem too complex. For me, it's that the story felt so light and natural and I really loved the characters that earns it a spot on my favorites.

9) Fracture by Megan Miranda (my review)- Half of the time, I expected this novel to swing right and it totally veered left. Miranda is a master at creating suspense and it had my heart racing on more than on occasion and breaking just as much. I loved watching Decker and Delaney try to figure out what's going on and see their bond strengthen.

10) The Demon Trapper's Daughter by Jana Oliver (my review)- This is another novel that I never expected to make it to my favorite list. I thought it sounded cool but I was not expecting the totally awesome characters and epic world building that I got. I've kept up with every novel sense then and can't wait to finsih the series!

The Demon Trappers series is on my list too! They're so good - I can't wait for you to read the last book! It's INCREDIBLE :D I really need to get myself a copy of Anna Dressed in Blood, I don't know anybody who's read it who hasn't gushed over it afterwards... Great post Amber! :)

Embarrassingly, I haven't read any of these! A lot are on my wishlist - I really want to read Divergent and Anna Dressed in Blood. Mara Dyer and Shatter Me are in my TBR pile - I should get to them soon.

I loved DIVERGENT/INSURGENT so much. I almost chose these. I also almost chose MARA DYER. I still need to read SHATTER ME and UNDER THE NEVER SKY, how sad! I did enjoy TIGER LILY and just reviewed it last week. So hard to put thoughts into words there! I haven't read THE BODY FINDER yet, but I did read and adore THE PLEDGE. INCARNATE is on my list, yay!

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer and Under the Never Sky are my faves as well that i've read in my blog lifespan as well! Tiger Lily sounds amazing! I really like Peter Pan and i love Peter Pan and Wendy together. The sound of a girl before Wendy intrigues me. I recently got Anna Dressed in Blood and i'm super excited to read it! I've heard many good things about it.

I see white a few dystopians on this list! I liked SHATTER ME - the writing had to grow on me, but I liked how distinctive it was. I haven't read some of these, but I really want to read THE DEMON TRAPPER'S DAUGHTER. Jana Oliver is a fellow Atlanta native, so I feel like I should help support a local :)

This blog is an award free zone. With the demand of a full time job, blogging time is becoming much more precious and I just don't have the time to meet the demands of awards. Thanks so much for thinking of me anyway!